The latest addition to Acer's Gemstone range of laptops is the Aspire 6920, designed with entertainment in mind. Previous Gemstone models weren't exactly lookers, but the new design is certainly more stylish.

The Acer Aspire 6920 will be available in four different versions, from the entry-level £699 model with a 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5750 processor, up to the top £1,149 version with a 2.5GHz Penryn Core 2 Duo T9300 chip. All models come equipped with 4GB of RAM and an nVidia GeForce 9500M GS graphics chip.

Acer had only a pre-production sample available at the time of review, which differs from the retail models in terms of processor and graphics card - the sample was fitted with a 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7500 and an nVidia GeForce 8600M GT chip. In testing, this version achieved a WorldBench 6 score of 90 and was capable of running the intensive FEAR test at 26fps, but these results are no indication of the performance of the final shipping models. The battery didn't function on the review sample, so we were unable to conduct the battery life test.

Perhaps the most unusual feature of the Acer Aspire 6920 is its 16in screen - which sits inbetween the traditional 15.4in and 17in displays that are commonly seen. The screen does have a true 16:9 widescreen resolution, however, making it great for watching films. A display of 1,366x768 resolution was fitted to the review sample, but the more expensive Acer Aspire 6920s will have a 1,920x1,080 pixel screen so they can display 1080p HD material at its native resolution.

There's also a Blu-ray drive included on all but the cheapest Acer Aspire 6920, so you can enjoy high-definition movies either on the laptop display or on a large screen TV via the HDMI port.

To the left of the Acer Aspire 6920’s keyboard is a large touch-sensitve area Acer calls the CineDash media console. You can use it to adjust the volume by sliding your finger along the edge, or to quickly access media files. This is perhaps something of a novelty, and it can be a little confusing to use at first.

The Acer Aspire 6920 is a capable entertainment laptop in a smart, attractive package. The 16in display makes it slightly more portable than a 17in desktop replacement machine, and the inclusion of Blu-ray makes it great for watching HD content.

As Intel's Santa Rosa chipset offers benefits such as improved battery life and the ability to connect to draft-n wireless network it makes sense for Acer to incorporate it into one of their compact notebooks - the Acer Aspire 4920 Gemstone.

With its pearly white keyboard, media player buttons and garish blue LED strips, the Acer Aspire 5920 Gemstone might look a bit gaudy at first, but don't let this put you off as it offers an amazing array of features for the asking price.